The H-1B visa program grants nonimmigrant worker status to up to 65,000 highly skilled individuals annually.
Elon Musk has pledged unwavering support for the H-1B visa program, vowing to go to “war” to defend it. He credited the program for bringing “critical” foreign-born, highly skilled workers to the United States—individuals who he said have played pivotal roles.
“The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla, and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B,” Musk said in a Dec. 27 post on social media platform X, in response to a comment suggesting that the H-1B program should be “optimized” out of existence.
The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 28, 2024
Take a big step back and FUCK YOURSELF in the face. I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot…
“Take a big step back and [expletive],” Musk continued. “I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend.”
The H-1B visa program grants nonimmigrant worker status to up to 65,000 highly skilled individuals annually, filling specialized roles in the U.S. workforce. Additionally, it provides 20,000 visas to foreign-born workers who have earned advanced degrees in the United States. Musk himself came to the United States as a foreign student and later secured work status through an H-1B visa.
Musk’s defense of the H-1B program comes as debates over immigration policy and workforce competitiveness intensify, with critics arguing the program undermines domestic job opportunities and proponents emphasizing its role in driving innovation and economic growth.
During his first term, President Donald Trump imposed restrictions on foreign worker visas and expressed criticism of the program. However, his 2024 campaign signaled a potential shift, indicating a willingness to grant H-1B visas, or even green cards, to foreign-born workers who graduate from U.S. universities.
In recent days, Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who are set to jointly lead Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have both ramped up their advocacy of American companies using H-1B visas to hire workers.
By Tom Ozimek
